Hope for $4b dental plan to cut wait lists

Ballarat Health Services says new Federal Government funding for dental care will help it cut waiting lists when its new clinic opens in 2014.

The Government has announced $4 billion to give low-income earners, children and those in rural areas better access to subsidised dental services.

The manager of population, health and strategic planning at Ballarat Health Services, Tracey Wilson, says the city is well-placed to make the most of the extra funds.

"We're about to start the design and development of our new 20-chair dental clinic in Ballarat," she said.

"That clinic will include some teaching chairs, so the announcement of the funds to start in 2014 is when our clinic will open its doors, so we're really excited about this because it means we can open our doors and really make some significant headway into the waiting lists that we've currently got."

She says the changes will put the focus on prevention.

"A lot of families in our region that can't afford to pay for private dental care, so this is really exciting in the fact that we're focusing on kids and really establishing their oral health and wellbeing right from the word go, really set them up for life," she said.

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